Alone In A Room Full of People
by mia bella jacob
Summary: Takes Place in Season one. Rachel wasn't wanted. They didn't appreciate her. The only reason they kept her around was dor her talent. Now that she is stuck on a vacation to Colorado with the Glee Club, see how she deals with being unwanted and unloved.
1. Chapter 1

** Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

Rachel Berry sat on an airplane. The Glee club was on its way to Colorado. They were going to spend a week there for the holiday. Mr. Shuster had been arranging this for weeks now. The group needed a way to make their bond stronger. Quinn was pregnant with Puck's baby. For some reason, Finn stayed with her. All he had done was thank Rachel for telling the truth, got Quinn to admit the truth, and carry on being her boyfriend. Why? He didn't want to abandon her in her time of need regardless of what she did. He felt that since he had kissed Rachel _twice,_ even though he was with Quinn, they were even now. So Rachel got to spend a week and a half with the love birds. Everyone disliked her. The only reason she had agreed to go on the trip is because Mr. Shuster wanted to promote 'team bonding'. So she agreed. It wouldn't matter. The only person that actually liked her in the group was Finn. He had also convinced her it would be a good idea. _"Come on Rach. It'll be fun. I know they don't show it but they… appreciate you. Look, just come. Your one of the few people I feel like I can trust. You've done so much for me and the Glee Club; I want to see you enjoy yourself. I'll prove that it is a lot of fun. Please?" _He had begged. She couldn't resist him. Even if he was with Quinn, she still had feelings for him. It had been easy to convince her fathers to allow her to go. Most people thought that they spoiled her just to spoil her. The truth was, they spoiled her to make up for all the times they weren't around. Whenever they would leave her, they would give her a new type of lesson. She had spent many nights alone in a big house. They were always leaving her and she was lonely most of the time. She didn't realty want all those lessons. All she wanted was for her dads to love her. So that is how she found herself sitting next to him on the plane. Quinn had opted to sit with Britney and Santana. Kurt, Tina, and Mercedes sat with each other. Artie sat on the end of his row, which also held Mr. Shuster and Ms. Pillsbury. He had to sit with the teachers because of his wheelchair but he still talked to his friends from across the aisle. Puck sat with Mike and Matt. Puck and Finn clearly weren't on the best terms and Puck would rather not rock the boat anymore than he already had. So Finn and Rachel sat by each other. Finn because he had no where else to sit, Rachel because nobody wanted to sit by her. Rachel squirmed in her seat. It wasn't very comfortable and it was a three and a half hour flight to Colorado. She continued to squirm before she finally gave up. Mr. Shuster had booked an early flight so that they could save a bit of money. She had pulled an all nighter so that she would be able to catch up on her sleep. She sighed and decided to just remain upright. It was uncomfortable but it wasn't as awkward. She closed her eyes and was practically asleep when, she heard a low voice whisper in her ear, "You know you can sleep on my shoulder if you want to, right?" She tiredly opened her eyes and responded, "You have a girlfriend. She wouldn't like it." Finn just smiled at her. "She won't notice. Plus you don't look very comfortable and all your doing is sleeping," he spoke gently. He patted his shoulder then and she bit her lip. She slowly shifted in her seat so that she could comfortably rest against him. She rested her head on his shoulder and then shut her eyes. She was soon falling asleep. The last thing she remembered was the plane picking up speed and slowly rising off the ground.

*Glee*

Finn sat on the plane. He was currently reading a book; as shocking as it was. Rachel had said that he would like it. It was named Percy Jackson and the Olympians: the Lightning Thief. She had said that it was about this boy who found out he was part god. He then had to fight all these monsters and stuff. He had been reluctant to read it. He thought that reading was a waste of time. He would rather just wait for the movie to come out. She convinced him though. She had an adorable puppy dog pout. Finn had to admit it was pretty good. He liked it. It was pretty much full of action and he liked the idea of Greek mythology. Rachel was still asleep on his shoulder. She was pretty cute when she slept. She would sniffle every few minutes. She would also let out a tiny mewl that made her seem like a kitten. It was rather adorable if he did say so himself. She stayed still other than that. She didn't make any move to wake up. She looked peaceful… pretty. She wasn't pretty like Quinn but she was still pretty. Quinn was straight forward pretty. She had the blonde hair, tall frame, and perfect body that every girl longed for. Rachel was more of a sneaky kind of pretty. You wouldn't think much of her at first glance. Finn honestly hadn't. He just thought that she looked kind of insane. Then he got to know her and he realized that she really was pretty. She had these long eyelashes that were naturally dark. Her eyes were also a beautiful, deep shade of brown. She was short but she had a rockin little body, even if she didn't have a big chest. She was pretty, just not pretty like Quinn. You just had to take the time to get to know her a little. She really was a nice person. Nobody else seemed to notice. Well, Puck did but that was because of her religion and their fling only lasted about a week. Plus, Puck only wanted to get to know _Rachel's body, _not _Rachel_. He was probably the only one who got to know her a little bit. He had seen sides of her he thoughts he would never see. He never would have thought that she had an insecure side. She was brave and daring. She talked a lot more than she should but she was also a regular teenage girl. She had fears and insecurities. She had dreams and wishes. Nobody knew that though. They all just thought she was loud and annoying. He was pulled away from his musings by Mr. Shuster calling for the group's attention. When he had it, he began to speak. "Okay guys, when we get off the plane we'll get ours bags. Then from there we'll be taking a bus up to our cabin. Don't stray away from the group," he said. The kids nodded and returned to their previous conversations. Finn just looked down at Rachel. Finn turned when he heard his teacher call his name. "You might want to wake her up. Let her get herself organized," Mr. Shuster said. Finn nodded. Placing the book on his tray, he gently shook Rachel's shoulder. "Rachel, come on. It's time to wake up," he whispered to her. She gave a sleepy groan and her eyes slowly opened. She was groggy and she took a moment to focus her half opened eyes. She gasped when she where she was positioned and she shot upright and away from him. "I'm sorry Finn! Did you stay that way the entire time? Gosh you must have been so uncomfortable. I'm so sorry," she said in not only in one breath but probably under a minute. She took in a gasping breath. Finn chuckled at her. "It's fine Rach. You were no bother at all. I got some reading done. You didn't even stir when I would move around." She relaxed when he told her this. She readjusted herself in the uncomfortable chair. The flight attendants voice came over the P.A. system then. It instructed them to put up their trays and buckle their seat belts. So Finn did as told and he placed the tray back in his folder. Finn then reclined in his chair and prepared to land.

*Glee*

The Glee Club stood in front of the airport waiting for the bus to take them to their cabin. Everyone was chatting excitedly… everyone except Rachel that is. She stood somewhat segregated from the others. She wasn't talking. She was just standing with her bag next to her. Nobody seemed to notice that she was missing. They were all to excited to care about the young star. The bus pulled up and the group began to board it. Rachel sat towards the middle. It didn't go unnoticed by her that nobody sat behind, in front of, or across from her. She sat alone. She didn't like it but she didn't complain. She simply leaned her head against the cool window frame. As Mr. Shuster took attendance, he went down the row and called out names. She only spoke a quick, quiet 'here' when her name was called. She was exhausted and when the bus engine roared to life, she was quickly lulled back to sleep by the hypnotic hum of the engine as well as the rhythmic sight of the yellow lines dividing the roads.

*Glee*

Rachel jolted awake when she felt a hand shaking her shoulder. Mr. Shuster was looking down at her. "Rachel, come on. It's time for you to wake up." She groaned but sat up. Maybe pulling an all nighter hadn't been a wise move after all. She was exhausted and groggy. All she wanted was to curl up in a bed and sleep until tomorrow afternoon. She sighed though and got up. She followed Mr. Shuster off the bus and trudged down the steps. She was slightly disheartened when she saw that the others still did not seem to care whether or not she was present for their fun. The first thing she noticed about the area was the temperature. She pulled her jacket around her body tightly. She felt like she was freezing. It wasn't this cold in Ohio. The second thing she noticed was the cottage. It was a decent size and had a cute charm to it. It was small but not too small. It would fit their tiny group comfortable. It was made out of wood and she wouldn't be surprised if it had been built back in the 1970s. Yet the cabin looked homey.

The Glee Club entered the cabin and looked around. There was a den which held couches, coffee tables, a TV and an old fashion fireplace. It was gorgeous. There was an arched doorway that led to the kitchen. In there was a long table that looked like it belonged to the family in Cheaper By the Dozen. It would be able to fit all of the Glee Club plus Ms. Pillsbury and Mr. Shuster.

Mr. Shuster clapped his hands in order to get the group's attention. "Alright guys, now we go over the rooming situation. All the girls will be in one room, all the boys in another. No visiting the other rooms," he shot a pointed look at Puck and Santana, "Ms. Pillsbury and I will be sleeping on opposite sides of your rooms. I'll be by the boys and Ms. Pillsbury will be by the girls. No funny business. Now go kill each other for the best beds!" He exclaimed and then laughed as the teens all scattered. Kurt stopped to ask Mr. Shuster if he could room with the girls so that everyone felt more comfortable. Mr. Shuster agreed. Kurt then merrily jogged off to room with the girls.

The girls ran around picking beds. Santana claimed that Britney and she _had_ to sleep next to her. They took the two beds in the center and far side of the room. Mercedes Kurt and Tina took the beds on the other end of thee room. This left a bed and a cot. Rachel and Quinn stood awkwardly. Rachel sighed. She knew she had to do what was right. "Quinn you take the bed. It's better for the baby. Having to get up from a cot will just be strenuous on you. You don't need any more stress," Rachel whispered to the blonde. Quinn looked at Rachel. She mouthed "thank you" and then placed her bag on the bed. Every bed had a nightstand which had several drawers in order to place their belongings. Rachel sat on the edge of the cot. She opened her bag and began to place her neatly folded clothes into her top drawer. Kurt walked over and picked up the top that was on the top of the pile. He looked at it and his nose crinkled in disdain and dropped it bag into the drawer. "You desperately need to get a sense of style. You dress like a toddler and a grandmother. It's sickening. There was mad cackling at this. Rachel just hung her head. She refolded the shirt and placed it back in the drawer. She quickly finished folding and closed the door. She placed her other belongings in the bottom drawer and awkwardly sat on the edge of the cot. Maybe this trip was a mistake…

**Author's Note:**

**So this is the first installment. Hope you liked it. Please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

The Glee Club sat around the kitchen table. They had ordered a pizza. Everyone was eating… everyone but Rachel. She opted to sit by the window in their den. She simply stared out of it and looked out. She refused to sit and watch them consume things that came from animals. It was unsettling to her. It was very cold in Colorado. She had already taken off her skirt and placed a pair of sweatpants on in its place. Her knee high socks gave her some warmth but she was still shivering. She then heard a roar of laughter come from her fellow club members. She felt a surge of jealousy. They probably didn't even know she was missing. She jumped when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She looked and saw Finn. He had a green scarf wrapped around his neck. "Oh, Finn, you scared me," she said as she placed a hand over her heart. "Why aren't you in there with us? Is it because it isn't vegan friendly because we have some stuff for salads if you want," he rambled. She smiled at him sadly. "Finn, we both know I'm not the most… loved person. I just don't want to ruin everyone's night." His brow furrowed. "Rach, the entire point of this trip was to get everyone to act like a family. What you're doing… keeping yourself away from the others like this…. It's just not being part of a family," Finn said. Rachel sighed and bit her lip. "Finn, I think they can only take small doses of me…" she trailed off. Finn frowned. He had brought her on this trip to try to make her feel loved. The group had berated her. She knew her place now. She knew that she wasn't wanted. He wanted to fix that. She had done so much for him and she deserved to have him do something for her in return. He thought that getting her a better rep in Glee Club would be good. He sighed. "Look, just come to dinner. Please?" he asked and put on his best puppy dog face. She sighed but stood up. "Alright but I don't like it…" she trailed off. He smiled and extended his hand to her. She took it and with his help, she got to her feet. He then proceeded to lead her to the kitchen.

*Glee*

When Rachel entered the greeting she got was unexpected. Calls of, "there she is!", "pull up a chair", and "What have you been up to?" were called at her. She bit her lip as she took a seat next to Mercedes. She was at the end and she looked at the pizza in shock. Did they really expect her to eat this? Finn gave her a pointed look and she gulped. She timidly took a slice in hand and nibble on the end. It wasn't awful. Cheese only was doable she supposed. She listened to the conversations mostly. She felt weird. It was like she was welcome just not accepted.

*Glee*

Rachel was sitting on the cot combing through her hair. The other girls (plus Kurt) had gone to the room. Everyone was in their pajamas already. Rachel had a blanket draped over her shoulders to try to cease her constant shivers. She didn't take to the cold well. She listened as the group tried to decide what to do. They finally decided on a game of truth or dare. When they began to gather around several of the beds, Rachel moved to join them. She stopped when Santana began to speak to her. "Oh no, Man Hands. Not you. We don't want you to ruin our fun," Santana then went into a high voice, "_I'm Rachel Berry and I need everything to be perfect! I refuse to anything that wouldn't be featured in a Disney movie," _she then returned to her normal voice and finished, "We want to have fun Berry. You aren't. You're a drag. Now go bother someone else." By the time Santana was finished Rachel was near tears. She was holding them back. As the others laughed at Santana, Rachel turned around and walked back to her cot. Her kindness to Quinn was not returned as Quinn continued on like Rachel had never done her anything. She was as cruel as ever. Rachel lay down on her cot and curled into a tiny ball. She would hear them giggling and then something silly being done. She droned it out though. She wasn't wanted. When Ms. Pillsbury poked her head in the room and told the kids to go to bed, Rachel heard footsteps and the rustle of sheets. She heard everyone sigh in content as they wrapped themselves in their warm sheets. Rachel wished she could say her sheets were warm. She was freezing. She heard constant giggles and every once in a while a whispered comment. She yawned and tied to readjust herself into a more comfortable position. "Stubbles, will you keep it down? You're keeping us up," Santana spoke. Everyone was giggling at that. Rachel sunk down in the pillow. She clutched the corner in an attempt to comfort herself. She wasn't wanted in this room. So she made the decision to move to the couch. She waited for the girls to all fall asleep. When the clock struck 12:45 she thought it was save. She took her throw blanket (the sheets and duvet she had been provided with just weren't warm) and began to tip toe out of the room. She stopped cold when she heard a light whimper come from Quinn. She watched the cheerleader with her eyes wide open. She sighed in relief when Quinn rolled over and continued to sleep. She silently opened the door and walked out of the room. She closed it and silently walked back to the little den. She looked for the couch that looked the comfiest and sat on the one she deemed so. She draped her blanket over herself. She then curled up. It was freezing. She sighed. Anything was better than staying with her 'roommates' though. She laid her head down on the pillow and closed her eyes.

*Glee*

After what felt like moments, she felt herself being shaken awake. Her eyes took a moment to focus. She made out a figure standing above her. She shot up into a sitting position and took a better look. She took a closer look and realized it was Finn. She let out a sigh of relief and greeted him. "What are you doing here, Rach? It's late. You should be in bed," Finn said. Rachel sighed and said, "My roommates don't seem to like the idea of us sharing a room. I moved out here." She began to readjust herself so she could get comfy on the couch as the cold began to seep in under her blanket. "They kicked you out?" He asked disappointment and shock written on his face. "Not exactly. I just grew tired of being verbally assaulted," she said as she lay back down, sprawling out. She was beginning to shiver once again. "What?" He asked confused. "I was sick of being made fun of," she said as she looked up at him. "I'm sorry to cut this conversation short but I'm tired. I would like to sleep. Goodnight, Finn," she said as she closed her eyes. She heard Finn. She heard foot steps walking away and tried to snuggle herself into the couch for warmth. She realized with disappointment that her blanket wasn't keeping her very warm. She looked back up when she heard footsteps returning. She them felt something being laid on top of her. She looked and saw it was another blanket. She felt a hand gently pet her head and a voice whisper softly, "Sleep tight, Rach." The petting was soothing but it ended far to soon for her liking. He had left to go back to his own room. She let a single tear slide down her cheek. He didn't even comfort her. He wasn't going to stop them from berating her. None of them wanted her here. She was alone… alone in a home full of people.

**Author's Note:**

** Sorry it took a while to write. I had fun with this one. Hope you liked it. Please review. I like hearing your thoughts.**


	3. Chapter 3

** Disclaimer: I don't own Glee**

Finn walked back into the boys' room. If Mr. Shuster thought they would be sleeping, he was insane. This was the perfect opportunity for some guy time. He had originally left the room to get a glass of water. They had been doing some pretty kick ass stuff like 'Would you rather' and 'have you ever'. Turns out Puck had slept with the majority of the cheerleaders as well as the girls on the debate team. Artie would rather marry Couch Tanaka then kiss Sue Sylvester. Finn left when they were asking Mike if he would rather lay Britney or Santana.

That was when he stumbled upon the tiny form curled up in a ball shivering. He was confused when he saw it was Rachel. He felt his heart drop to his stomach when he heard her reasons. He felt bad. Especially since she now had to sleep on the couch, out in the cold with only a pathetic scrap of blanket to keep her warm. He decided to go and get her one of his blankets. She would need it more than he did. She looked even tinier on the couch covered in his giant blanket. She was a tiny thing to begin with. She said she was pe-…pet… he didn't remember the word she used but he thought it meant little. When he returned to the boy's room, they were looking at him with questions in their eyes. Mike was lying on his stomach facing the foot of the bed, Matt was in a similar position, Artie was on his back, and Puck was leaning back against his head rest. "Where ya been man?" Mike asked. Finn sighed. "Rachel's out there on the couch," he said. Puck's eyes held a mischievous glint as he sat up straighter. "Berry's out there by herself? In the cold?" He asked, his lips spreading into a wide smirk. Finn shot him a death glare. "Watch yourself, Puckerman. Leave her alone. She's having a rough night," Finn warned his patience thin with his former best friend. Puck held up his hands in defeat. "I was just worried about her. Thought she might need to be warmed up a little. We're both a couple of good looking Jews. We need to watch out for each other. That's all," he said as he returned to his slouched position. Finn gave him a look before he lay down on his bed. He yawned and stretched out his long body on his bed. It was nice to have a bed that fit his body but… he missed his old bed. This wasn't familiar to him. Still he allowed himself to get comfortable. Before he knew it, his eyes were closed and he was drifting to dream land.

*Glee*

Rachel groaned as she was disturbed from her uneasy sleep. The sun was peeking through the window. She had forgotten to close them before she went to sleep. She stretched out her sore muscles before making the great effort to push herself into a sitting position. As she stood up, her bones creaked. She gathered her blankets and pillow. She crept back into the girl's room and placed the pillow back on her bed. She then tiptoed into the boy's room. They were all passed out in various positions. She spotted Finn and laid the blanket on top of him. He mumbled something about more sleep. She then walked back to the girl's room. She quickly wiggled her way under the covers and attempted to make herself more comfortable. She then drifted off into an uneasy slumber.

A while later she felt something hit her head and she bolted upright. Santana and Brittney were giggling wildly as she saw that Santana's bed was missing a pillow. She groaned and threw the pillow back to them. She glared and went to her nightstand. She took a sweater, a bra, and a pair of sweatpants from the drawer as well as her toothbrush and comb and then walked away to go find the bathroom. When she reached the bathroom she went to the bathroom and when she was done, she stripped off her shirt. Upon seeing herself, she quickly clipped her bra, and took in her appearance. It clearly was no really contest between her and Quinn. Quinn was tall, blonde, and skinny. Quinn was the sweet, popular girl. Rachel was short, brunette, and while she was thin, her breasts were small. She was loud and obnoxious. She ultimately had no friends. Sighing she slid on her sweater and pants. She then began to attempt to sort through the mess that was her hair. She then quickly brushed her teeth and left the bathroom so that the next person would be able to use it.

As she approached the door she stopped, hearing her name. _"Rachel is annoying. I can't stand her. Who even invited her on this trip?" _She heard Kurt ask. _"That would be Quinn's idiot boyfriend. It's not fair. He doesn't even have to deal with her annoying voice." _Rachel recognized Santana's voice. _"Come on guys, her voice isn't that annoying." _A smile began to form on Rachel's lips as she heard Mercedes, defend her. _"Her nose is what bothers me! It takes up as much space as Texas." _Rachel's smile was instantly lost. She self consciously brought a hand up to her face. Was her nose really that bag? She heard the laughter begin to die down and then quickly entered the room. It went awkwardly silent and Rachel tried to rush through putting her things back. The room was tense. She then left the room. When she left she heard them begin to berate her outfit. She let a tear slip. They didn't like her… she was stuck in a house with her tormentors.

She wiped the tear and made her way into the kitchen. She saw Mr. Shuster sitting at the table a cup of coffee in his hand. She put on a smile and greeted him, "Good morning, Mr. Shue. Did you sleep well?" She asked as she sat down as well. He gave her a warm smile. "Morning, Rachel. I slept fine. How about you?" Rachel shrugged. "I just had problems, adjusting to the weather. It's really cold and I'm not used to this climate," she said. Mr. Shuster gave her a sympathetic look. "Well as soon as everyone else is awake, we'll decide on breakfast." Rachel nodded. Within five minutes the room was full of the members. The boys had remained in their sleep clothes while the girls and Kurt had gotten dressed. As the girls and Kurt made their way into the room, they took a seat as far away from Rachel as possible. Rachel dropped her head in shame. Nobody liked her. Why had she come on this stupid trip again? The boys all filled in around her. The group debated breakfast for a while before deciding that they would go to a local diner that they had passed on the way. As they filed into the bus that the teachers had rented for the trip, Rachel seriously began to consider why she even bothered trying. She would _never_ be accepted.

**Authors note:**

**I'm so sorry it took so long to update. I got busy with finals. Now I'm on break so I have a little time to write. Hope you enjoyed this.**


	4. Chapter 4

** Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

Rachel sat alone in the girl's room. They had all decided to go to the little plaza that was in the town square. She had been uninvited as soon as the idea was even suggested. Ms. Pillsbury had taken them and Rachel was left to sit alone. Mr. Shuster and the rest of the boys were doing who knows what. She was getting so lonely that she considered crashing their little man-party but that would only back up what the others had said at the diner.

_-Flashback-_

_ As the group walked into the diner Rachel walked by Finn. When the group stood in front of the desk, Ms. Pillsbury excused herself to the bathroom and Mr. Shuster set out to get them a table. Rachel listened to Finn banter with Mike over what was better __Call of Duty__ or __Black Opts. __She giggled as they began to get pretty into the argument. That's when the comments started._

_ "Gosh, she is such a nosy little freak. She just eavesdrops on everyone and then buts into other people's conversations," she heard Tina say. "I know. Earlier in the year she was listening in on a private conversation between me and Finn," Quinn whispered back. Rachel knew that they knew that she could hear them. She unconsciously took a step away from Finn. "Seriously! That little slut! Can't keep her man hands off another girl's boyfriend," Santana said. "It's really kind of sad. She doesn't have any friends so she probably listens to other conversations to make herself feel included," Mercedes said. Rachel bit down on her quivering lip._

_ They really hated her. What had she done to prompt this attack? She stared at her shoe. This trip had been a huge mistake. She pondered why they would hate her so much. Yes she was extremely gifted. She had a big nose. Her dress choices weren't exactly normal but they were her. She was very loud and people considered her obnoxious. Her comments weren't meant to hurt. She only wanted to help really. Yet what she thought was helpful advice was actually harsh criticism. She really didn't mean it but she always messed things up, especially what she wanted. She always messed up when she wanted something to much and she wanted everything to much._

_ Puck watched Rachel. Finn's comment was bugging him. He didn't like the idea of her having a rough night. He mostly couldn't understand why. Weren't girls supposed to stay up all night? Berry had been on the couch at midnight. He thought for a while that she was just homesick. He thought that a quick make out session would make her feel better. Now as he watched her he thought it was something else; something that was swimming around in that little head of hers that was gnawing at her._

_ He sidled up beside her and gently nudged her with his shoulder. When he got her attention she looked at him with these big doe eyes, he asked, "you alright there, Berry? You're being quiet." She simply shrugged and moved to turn away. At this he lifted his hand and placed it on her shoulder. He took a step closer and leaned down so he was invading her personal space. "Come on baby. I know you better than that. What's bugging you?" Puck asked as he looked her in the eyes. "I…I…" Rachel considered telling him everything she was feeling; this feeling of being unwanted and disliked. She sighed. "I'm just homesick," she said. Puck looked her expression over. She had a champion poker face. He sighed and made a note to himself to keep an eye on her. Rachel then heard a comment being made about the size of her nose. Maybe she should tell someone…_

_ -End Flashback-_

Rachel now sat alone. Did she really but into other people's conversations? She bit down on her lip harshly. Maybe she did. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that it seemed to be true. She felt a few tears slip out from her eyes. She was friendless. Nobody liked her. She felt her lip quiver. She bit down on it harshly. Nobody liked her. She wouldn't let them see her cry though. Not here. She pulled out her bag and pulled out the Nicholas Sparks book she was reading. She would leave everyone to have fun by staying out of it.

-Later-

The girls had returned. The club was now gathered in the little den. Everyone but Rachel, that is. As Finn look around, he noticed that no one else seemed to notice the brunette's absence. He nudged Puck who was next to him. He asked the boy if he had seen her and Puck responded, "She went to the girl's room after breakfast. She hasn't been out since." Finn stood then and walked out of the room. He walked over to the girl's room. He gently knocked on the door. "Rach? You decent in there?" He asked. He heard a faint 'come in'. He opened the door and saw Rachel sitting on her bed a book on her lap. She gave him a smile.

"Hello, Finn. How are you today? I haven't seen much of you," she stated. He gave the girl a smile. "I'm alright. Missed seeing you today," he said walking over and sitting on the bed. "Why don't you come out and sit with us. It will be fun," he said as he attempted to tempt Rachel. She mulled it over. Well she had just been invited to join. That wasn't emphasizing what the girls were saying. She smiled and agreed. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go horribly wrong.

**Authors Note:**

** Merry Christmas! Hope everyone has a very happy holiday. Pleas review. I love to hear what your thoughts are. How about people try to guess what happens.**


	5. Chapter 5

** Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

Puck picked up his cell phone to check the time. It read 12:45 a.m. It was time. He quickly and quietly opened up the top drawer of his nightstand. He took out a small book and slipped out of the room. He quietly crept down the hall and to the den. The first thing he registered was the falling snow. He then looked for the thing he needed. Sure enough, Rachel was lying on the couch. Her hair was cascading over the pillow. Her arms were tucked in tight against her chest. She looked like a small child. He smiled. It was cute. It reminded him of his little sister. That's what she reminded him of. He truly thought of her as family. They may have been hot Jews. She may have been a fun fling. Hell he may want to try to have another fling, but that's all it would ever be. She would only ever be a fling. All they would have was friends with benefits. He walked over and touched a hand to her shoulder.

Gently, he began to shake her shoulder. He called 'wake up Berry. Wake up' several times in an attempt to stir her from her sleep. Slowly, she began to awaken. She looked at him and rubbed her eye with her little fist. "Noah?" She said with a little yawn. He gave her a gentle shove. "Come on, Berry. Get on your feet." She slowly stood and stretched a little as she stood. He took her hand and pulled her over to the window seat. He gently pushed her down. He grabbed her knees and curled them under her.

"Noah, what are you doing?" She said as she tried to resist his manhandling. "Relax. I want to draw you," he said. She stopped momentarily and he managed to curl her legs back up so that they were drawn close to her body; much like a cat would curl in its tail. "What?" She said in her confusion, as he continued to readjust her position. He smiled at her. "Rachel, we both know you're a good looking Jew. The snow is falling, the night is quiet, and you have this tired expression. It will be just like that movie with the sinking ship. Except you keep your clothes on and we aren't on a boat," he said trying to play the titanic card. She bit her lip in thought. Sighing she said, "Alright." He grinned wickedly. He placed his sketch book down on the window seat. He placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back until she leaned back into the wall behind her. He brought a hand to her chin and tilted it down and to the side. He began to readjust her hair so that it was cascading over her back and left her face exposed.

"Look right out the window. Stay perfectly still," he said as he got out his pencil. He took a seat across from her, opened his sketch book to a clean page and quickly began to draw the tiny singer. His hand moved quickly across the page. He shaded certain areas, left some of them clear. He would glance up at her, mumble to himself and continue drawing. She tried hard to remain still but she glanced back at him several times. She would twitch every once in a while and he would look at her and smile then utter "try to be still." She would apologize and return to her position. She stayed looking out the window, watching the snow fall gently. She looked at it longingly. A thick layer had already accumulated over the ground. It looked so fluffy and inviting.

"What's it like to play in the snow, Noah?" She asked. The question caught him off guard. He looked up from his work with a confused look. "What?" he said, looking at her. "You heard me." "You've never played in the snow before?" He said. She bit her lip, suddenly sorry she asked. She knew that she wouldn't turn back now. She sighed and then said, "My daddies said that it was a waste of time to play in the snow when I could be practicing. I was only allowed outside when they were home and when they were I practiced my dance routines and vocals," she explained never moving her gaze from the window. His mouth was gaping at her. "You really haven't played in the snow." It wasn't a question. It was a statement. He shook his head and returned to his drawing. As he drew her he thought about it. "I don't know, Berry. It's hard to explain," he said. She bit her lip in response.

They sat in the comfortable silence, the only noises being the scratch on the pencil and his quiet murmurs. He smiled when he was done and turned the sketchbook around so she could have a look. She gasped. The picture was gorgeous. It showed her staring out the window with an expression that can only be described as lonely. In the back round the snow was gently falling through the window. The gentle look was perfect. She looked at him and smiled. "I think I'll call it 'wondering at the white.'" He said this with a smile on his face. "It's beautiful," she whispered. He smiled. "Glad you like it, Berry. You were an excellent model," he said with a smirk. She giggled and blushed. He yawned then. "Well, I've kept you up long enough. Go get some rest, sleepyhead," he said as he stood and offered her his hand. She took it and thanked him. She walked over to the couch and lay down on it. He quickly covered her up and tucked her into the blankets. She mumbled a 'goodnight, Noah.' He smiled and whispered back, 'sleep tight, Berry.'

He walked back to his room, his sketch book in hand. He felt a plan forming. This would be epic.

**Author's Note:**

**This is really just a set up chapter. Hope you enjoy. I want to know what you think will happen next. Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

Puck walked into the boys' room and hit Finn in the head with a pillow. Finn jolted awake and said, "What the hell?" "Dude we have a serious problem," Puck said. Finn's eyes focused. "What's wrong?" The tall boy asked. Puck took a seat on the end of the bed. "It's Rachel." That woke Finn up quickly. He angrily grabbed Puck by the color of his shirt. "What did you do to her?" Finn growled at Puck. Puck shoved Finn off. "I didn't do anything but listen to her," Puck growled. That quickly subdued Finn. "She feels left out. Not only here but also in her childhood experiences. She told me she never got to play in the snow. Can you imagine what that must be like?" Puck said, telling Finn what the girl had told him earlier. Finn grimaced. That would be awful. What kid didn't play in the snow? "What do we do about it," Finn said, now interested in what his ex best friend had to say. Puck smirked. "I got an idea…" Puck went on to explain his plan. Finn smiled and nodded. The boys went to sleep, satisfied in their plot.

*Glee*

Mr. Shuster woke up with a groan. Someone was knocking on his bedroom door. He pushed himself up and gave a sigh. Slowly he walked over to the door. There in front of him stood Finn and Puck. "Something wrong, guys?" He asked as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. The boys looked at each other. Finn cleared his throat. "Mr. Shue, have you ever built a snow man?" Mr. Shuster was confused. "Of course I have. What's going on?" Puck then spoke up. "I was talking to Rachel yesterday. She told me that she never got to play in snow. Her dads wouldn't let her," Puck said. Mr. Shuster frowned. He knew that Rachel's fathers had always pushed her to practice, but he didn't think they took it that far. He felt pity for his student. It clearly was no wonder she always wanted to practice. It was second nature to her. She was familiar with it.

He looked at the young men in front of him. "What do you two want to do about this?" He asked. "We want to take her out. Take her sledding, build a snowman. That kind of fun stuff," Finn said. "We won't try anything," Puck said. "There's a hill within walking distance. They probably have a rent-a-sled. We can take her there, bring her home once she's tired, play in the snow for a bit, and then come inside. It'll be a few hours at the most," Finn tried to bargain. Will thought about it. It did seem like a good plan. He bit his lip. He really shouldn't let them go off without adult supervision. He sighed. "Tell you what. You can take her to play in the snow. If you can convince the other guys to go, I'll take you sledding. I just want to be able to keep an eye on you kids. Do we have a deal?" Will asked. Finn and Puck looked at each other and nodded. "Deal they said at the same time.

*Glee*

Convincing the boys to go was easy. Puck had barely suggested the idea before they had all agreed and begun to pull on their sweaters and sweat pants. Artie decided to stay behind and catch up on his reading. Finn then went off to wake Rachel while Puck went to tell Mr. Shuster that they would be going. Finn walked into the living room and searched for Rachel. She was still asleep on the couch. She was curled into a ball. She looked exhausted but peaceful. He almost felt bad about waking her up, but they needed to get started. He gently shook her awake. She groaned in protest and opened her eyes. She looked at him and spoke. "Finn, let me sleep," she said as her eyes shut again. He shook his head. "Nope. Come on. Wake up. You'll like this." She groaned but got up. She crossed her arms and looked up at him. "What is so important that I had to drag myself out of my REM cycle?" She asked irritably. She was very sleepy. He just grinned. "Be back out here in ten minutes. Wear sweatpants and a comfy shirt. Bring your winter stuff too. Don't worry about your hair. Just throw it in a pony tail. Now get to it," he said as he put his hands on her shoulder, leading her to the girl's room." He nudged her forward and she opened the door, looked back at him with a confused look, then walked in.

Ten minutes later, Rachel appeared. She had her hair in a low ponytail, her side bangs falling out thus framing her face. She had a heavy coat draped over her arm and a pair of gloves on her hand. On top of her head was a hat that had a ball of fuzz on the top of it. Finn smiled and stood. "Mr. Shuster is almost ready. Hope your ready for fun," he said with a smile. On cue, Mr. Shuster walked into the room. He smiled and gestured to the rented van. Puck joined Finn and offered an arm to Rachel. Finn offered one as well. She then looped one arm trough each of the others. The two boys led her to the van then helped her in. The rest of the boys then filled in around her. Mr. Shuster drove them to the hill. Rachel looked out the window. "So what exactly are we doing?" She asked. Puck smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know," he said. Rachel pouted. She wanted to know.

When they pulled up to the hill, Rachel's eyes went wide. "Noah…" she looked at him with wide eyes. A smile spread across her head. He then shrugged and got out. He held out a hand and she took it. He helped her down. The rest of the boys followed. Mr. Shuster brought them to rent-a-sled station. Finn then ordered their sleds. When they walked over to the sled, Rachel looked down. The hill was pretty steep. She looked to see that the others were getting on their sleds. Matt and Mike were actually about to race each other. Even Mr. Shuster was getting ready to sled down. She looked over to know. He came to stand beside her when he saw the look she gave him. "What do I do?" She asked timidly. "Sit down on it. Lay down on it if you feel like it. I wouldn't recommend it the first time though. Then just hold on tight. Come on. I'll race you," he said setting his sled down next to her. He then got on next to her in his own. He reached over and held onto hers while she got on. Finn looked at Puck. The two boys shared a look. They knew it was about to be a three-way race. Puck counted to three and let go of her sled, sending her flying down the hill. He pushed himself forward and followed her. Finn too was flying towards the bottom. Rachel was squealing and laughing like there was no tomorrow. Puck leaned forward to try to gain speed. The race was between him and Finn. Let Rachel come in first. He'll dominate second place. Finn was gaining on him though so he pushed for more speed. Puck made the mistake of leaning over to far though. He tumbled out of the sled and Finn zipped past. He cursed under his breath and righted his sled. Getting back on, he finished the race.

Rachel was hopping around at the bottom of the hill when he got there. She smiled and skipped over to him. She hugged him and the next thing he knows, he's on his back. Finn had rammed into the two of them in a bear tackle. The two boys looked at each other and a silent exchange went by them. They would let Rachel slide down the hill a few more times and then they would go home for the test of dominance.

Rachel had fun sledding and was slightly disappointed when they had to leave. She looked at the hill sadly as the car pulled away from the hill. She then leant her head against the window. She was so happy; she now was able to say she had a childhood experience she had been deprived of. She was thankful that Finn and Puck cared about her. Who knows where she would be without them.

When they pulled up in front of the house she began to walk towards it but instead Puck grabbed her and started to drag her over to the wooded area on the side. "Noah?" She asked. "Come on. You're not done yet. We're going to build a snow man." She shrugged and continued. Mr. Shuster went inside, content in the knowledge that the teens could be seen from the front window. She dropped down to her knees and got ready to make the body, she felt something hit her. She gasped and spun around to see Finn laughing. She scowled at him. She then felt something hit head back and saw that Mike was behind her and had just nailed her in the back. She then scooped up snow and threw it over towards Mike. It missed by a lot. The next thing she knew, she felt something plow into her from the side. She had been plowed into a snow bank by none other than Mat. She squealed in protest as Noah walked over and picked her up. He held her and she squeaked when she felt an unknown hand come down on her rear. The boys laughed and soon Rachel felt herself laughing as they proceeded to have a snowball fight. She finally got Mike and Matt on her side and the two helped her attempts to ward off Finn and Puck.

Finally, after hours of fun, Mr. Shuster called them to come inside. The group of five walked in to see the group gathered around the sitting room. The girls and Kurt glared at Rachel as she came in and Rachel shrunk back. She felt her gut clench when she heard Santana say, "Take a good look at Rudolph." Rachel was cold yes. Her nose was bound to be red because of it. When the cruel laughter started she felt something inside her snap. She stomped her foot and began to speak. "You know what. I am sick and tired of being the bigger person. I have taken every single one of your insults lying down and I'm done. I'm sick and tired of being ridiculed when I did nothing to deserve it. I'm just…" she shook her head. Then abruptly she turned around and stomped back out the door. She heard people calling after her but she didn't care. Instead she began to run towards the woods as the snow began to fall around her, white and falling quickly…

**Author's note: **

**Little bit of a suspenseful ending. Sorry for the very long wait. Let me know what you think will happen next. I hope you enjoyed it. Please review.**


	7. Chapter 7

** Please read the author's note at the bottom. It is important!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

Mr. Shuster had bolted to the door. He screamed out his student's name, trying to get her to stop. It was to late though. Her form had quickly disappeared into the night. She was gone. He felt himself begin to shake. He rounded on his kids. "We just lost Rachel. She is missing. Are you happy? Are you satisfied!" He asked. "Now, Will, yelling at them isn't going to help her," Emma said, trying to reason with him. "You're right, Emma. Kurt, Finn, and Puck, come with me. We're going to go try to find her," Will said as he went to the coat closet to grab his coat as well as Kurt. "Why do I have to go look for her?" Kurt asked, clearly upset that he had to go find his rival. "She'll probably be fine out there. She still had her snow clothes on. I know. They were hideous." Mr. Shuster then rounded on the boy. "You will go look for her and I don't want to hear another word about it. "Mike can you go get some flask lights from the kitchen. Third drawer from the left," he instructed the boy. Mike left.

Will Shuster was out of his mind upset. He wanted to promote team bonding. None of the girls (including Kurt and Artie) seemed to be concerned for their teammate. Finn and Puck were waiting for Kurt who was taking his time putting on his coat. Mike came back with the flashlights, handing one to each of the search party. Kurt sighed and said, "Well let's go. The diva is waiting for her audience to play into her hands." With that Kurt slipped on his boats and walked out the door. Finn and Puck followed. Mr. Shuster stayed to say to the rest, "I'll deal with you all later." He then followed the boys out of the room.

Mike and Matt looked at the girls and glared. "What did she do to you?" Mike asked. "It's a shame. She's really a nice gal once you get to know her. You just judged from how she acted," Matt added. "You never got to know the real her. We don't even know her well but we still tried," Mike finished. Mike turned to Ms. Pillsbury. "Could you let us know when they get back with her?" He asked the guidance counselor. The woman said of course and the boys thanked her. The boys shook their heads and walked over to the boy's room. This left the girls and Artie in the room.

The silence was awkward. Nobody wanted to express what they feared the most. Artie cleared his throat and the older woman looked at him. "Ms. Pillsbury, is Rachel going to be alright?" He asked. The woman then felt the anger she was holding in bubble over. "I don't know Artie. The odds aren't looking good for her. We'll be lucky if we find her unharmed. She could freeze to death out there" Emma took a deep breathe trying to calm herself. "Do you see what bullying can do now? I thought that all of you would know how much it hurts to be bullied but you apparently don't care about what she feels. I would have hoped you would be sensitive towards that. I'm very disappointed in all of you," she said as she then went to take a seat on the couch to wait for the boys to return.

The girls hung around awkwardly. They didn't know what to do. Finally, Santana grabbed Britney by the pinkie and led the way back to the girl's room. Artie went to join Mike and Matt in the guy's room. The girls all gathered and sat on their beds. Tina was the first to speak. "Do you guys think she'll be okay? Did we take it too far?" "How do we make it up to her?" Mercedes added. "I don't know. I need sleep. I say we get some rest. We'll take this one step at a time. First let her be found. Then we'll decide what to do," Quinn said slipping out of her sweater and into her sleep shirt. Lying down, she turned off the lamp on her nightstand. She curled her knees up under her. In all honestly, she was scared for Rachel. She didn't always particularly like the girl but she didn't want to see her get hurt. Closing her eyes, she prayed for Rachel to return home safely.

*Glee*

"Rachel!" Puck bellowed into the night, fog forming as his hot breath mixed with the cold air. He shined his flashlight around, attempting to find signs of the girl. The snow had quickly covered her footsteps and it was continuing to fall quickly. They had no idea where she could be. The only thing they could do was carefully pick their way through the woods and make sure they knew how to get home.

"Rach! Come on! It's okay!" Finn shouted. He wanted to find his friend. She was the only person he could trust. He wanted to make sure she was okay. She was so tiny. She could easily be snatched up by an eagle… wait no, that was bunnies. Still she could easily be harmed. He shined his flashlight into the trees. The woods were a big place. How many places could she get off to?

"Rachel! If you can hear me come hear! Nobody is upset that you ran. Come home and we can work out these issues," Mr. Shuster yelled. He wanted to find his student. He had no idea that she was struggling within the group. He was always pushing her to give up things so that her teammates would feel good about themselves. He hadn't made sure to repay her for that though. He had failed to make her feel included. He had to make sure that he fixed that. He continued to shine his light in search for her.

Kurt shined his light looking for the girl. He honestly didn't care. So what if she was found? They weren't friends. All they did was sing in the same club. She was annoying. She was loud. She was to talented for her own good.

The group looked on. They shined their flashlights in all areas but the snow was falling quickly. They didn't know how much longer they could search for her. It was cold. It was dark. They didn't know the area. The odds were staked against them. Their chances of finding their missing friend were slim to none. They had to try though. They just had to.

*Glee*

Rachel walked through the snow. Each foot step felt like torture. She stopped walking. She looked around. She had no idea where she was. Her arms were covered in goose bumps and the hairs were sticking up to attempt to provide warmth. She was shivering. She couldn't get herself to stop. She had crossed her arms over her chest to try to stay warm. At this point she was beginning to lose hope. She had thought about turning back around. The problem was she didn't know where she was. The snow was falling quickly. She looked around. She sighed. She was so tired. She just wanted to go to sleep. Looking around, she didn't see any kind of cave to get out of the cold. Instead she decided to just take a seat next to a tree. She curled up next to it. She wanted to be kept warm. She would give anything to be warm right now. Sadly, Mother Nature seemed to have other plans as the snow began to fall faster, beginning to cover her in a cold, white blanket.

**Author's Note:**

**So hope you liked it. This was written quickly in honor of Chris Colfer winning his first Golden Globe. Yay for him he deserved it. Does anybody know if Lea Michele got booed? I heard that she did but is it true? If you could all tell me, that would be great. As always let me know what you think is going to happen next. Please review and I hope you enjoyed it.**


	8. Chapter 8

** Thank goodness Lea didn't get booed. That would have been extremely rude and upsetting to me to know that she isn't supported. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

Ms. Pillsbury sat on the sofa her head in her hands. How could this happen. She was the guidance consular. Rachel should have been able to come to her with her issues. They could have talked it out. She could have been able to express the feelings she had to suppress to herself. Instead, she kept them to herself and they bottled them up inside of her. Those feelings then exploded when she hit her boiling point. So now she was lost out in the cold.

Quinn sat in her bed. She regretted every time she made fun of Rachel. She regretted every time she didn't stand up for her. She felt anxious. Rachel must be so cold and scared. She must feel utterly alone. Quinn decided that when Rachel got back, she would try to make her feel as welcome as physically possible. She would make that her life's goal. She was done being mean to the innocent brunette. It was time to turn over a new leaf.

*Glee*

Kurt lazily shined his flashlight. He was distracting himself when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Turning his attention on it, he saw black against the white. He called to the others. "There is something over there," he said keeping his flashlight trained on the spot. Mr. Shuster then led the way over to the area Kurt spotted something peculiar in. As they approached they saw the object begin to take shape. Finn and Puck dropped to their knees in front of the object and began to brush it off. Slowly, the object was uncovered to reveal Rachel.

Kurt felt the blood drain from his face as he took in the sight of the girl. She was shivering violently. She looked like a Chihuahua. Her skin was almost as white as the snow. Her eyes were closed as her teeth chattered. Her lips were blue and the rest of her body was beginning to get a bluish tinge to it. The biggish shock… she was quiet. He had never seen the girl be so unresponsive. She was curled on her side in a tight little ball. Mr. Shuster gently pushed the other boys away. He put his ear next to her mouth to check for breathing patterns. Then he felt for her pulse. He sighed in relief when he felt it. It was slow but it was there, good and steady. He then looked at her clothes. Her coat was covered in snow. He unzipped it and looked at her clothes. They were wet. He bit his lips. Then he turned to the young boys with him. "We have to strip her," he said as he looked at them. Puck looked at him with a look of utter disbelief. "Are you insane? She needs to be kept warm-" Puck was cut off by the older man. "She's suffering from hypothermia. If she stays in the wet clothes all that we will be accomplished is keeping her cold. Now hold her up so we can get her undressed," the older man said.

Finn looked torn. He knew that he had to do this to save her. This would utterly humiliate her though. Scooting closer he took Rachel's shoulders between his hands. He then gently raised her so that she was leaned against him. "I'm so sorry, Rachel," the boy whispered into her ear. She stirred lightly then. Her eyes opened but only half way. She looked very dazed, like someone had just bashed her on the head. She turned her head from side to side slowly, trying to get her bearings. She then turned her head to look at Finn as he kept her still. "Finn? Why here?" She asked. Puck looked at Mr. Shuster for an explanation. "Her brain is starting to shut down. She's losing her grammar skills," he explained as he put his hands on her sweater. He then began to lift it over her head. Puck then helped Mr. Shue get her arms through the sleeves. Kurt looked at her in pity. She was confused and clearly didn't have any clue as to where she was or what was going on. He looked at his jacket. It was one of his favorites. Marc Jacobs… it was very warm. He looked at the girl who was starting to look scared as the shirt was pulled over her head and she was left exposed in her bra. He sighed. He took off his jacket and said, "Hold her still." As Mr. Shuster and Puck put her arms through, Rachel leaned into it quickly. She wanted the warmth. She quickly snuggled up into the rest of it. Mr. Shuster quickly zipped it up to cover the girl. He then pulled off her pants.

Puck bit his lip. He liked Rachel. She was a hot Jew. She would probably be a fire cracker between the sheets, but this was never how he wanted to see her panties. She was freezing to death. As much as he wanted to screw her brains out, she was like his little sister. He didn't think a relationship would ever work with her. They were too alike. Both were strong headed and stubborn. They wouldn't last a year before one cheated on the other. So he would stick with friends with benefits. He did like her. She was fun to hang out with. This was just plain sad though. She looked so pitiful. Her eyes couldn't even open more than halfway.

Mr. Shuster sighed. There was nothing that could be done to cover her lower half. He tried to pull the jacket down lower so it would partially cover her. Then he looked to the boys. "Can one of you carry my flashlight and her clothes," he asked. Finn grew upset. "I'll carry her. You know the way home and I'm probably warmer than you." Finn then handed his flashlight to Puck and crawled up next to Rachel. He put a hand under her knees and one under her upper body. He lifted her and cradled her close to his chest. "Finn? Where going?" She asked. He smiled down at her. "We're taking you home. Try to talk in full sentences," he said. She nestled her head on his chest and turned her face into it. "Finn, don't let her fall asleep. Not until we get her warmed up," Mr. Shue said as he began to lead the way back home.

They walked in silence, the only sound being the crunch of the snow and the chattering of Rachel's teeth. The minutes ticked by. The thought on all their minds: get her home as soon as possible. The clock was ticking.

**Author's Note:**

**So they found her. Now they have to get her home. I've researched the topic of hypothermia. I think I know the basics. As always review and let me know what you think will happen next. I'm so very excited to find out that Lea was not booed. She wouldn't deserve this. So I hope you enjoyed it. I'll try to update soon.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

Finn cuddled Rachel up as close as possible. She was shivering and she felt as cold as the snow that was still falling around them. Rachel had her head resting against his chest. He felt bad. She looked so sleepy, with her eyes half opened. She looked exhausted. He looked around. Kurt was following behind him with an unreadable expression. Puck looked worried out of his mind. He caught Finn's eyes. "Do you want me to take her?" The boy asked. Finn shook his head and instead decided to clutch her closer. He then looked down at Rachel and nearly peed himself. Her eyes were closed and her face looked peaceful. "Rachel, wake up!" The boy yelled and the girl groaned in process. "Me want go sleep," the girl whined. Finn bit his lip. "I'm sorry but you can't sleep. Sing your favorite song," he said. He needed to keep her mind engaged. He held his breath until he heard the small sounds of her voice floating through the air. He turned to the teacher that was leading them. "How much father is it, Mr. Shuster?" He asked. Mr. Shuster looked back. "Not much. Just try as hard as you can to keep her awake," the teacher said. The clock was ticking. Hearts were racing. The anticipation was enough to drive anyone crazy. They couldn't give up though. Not when Rachel's life was on the line.

*Glee*

Emma sat on the couch with her head in her hands. The anxiety was torture. Looking at the clock that was placed on the coffee table, she gulped. Two hours. Rachel was still missing. She was probably starving. The poor girl. Having to go through physical and mental torture. Her memory flashed to that day in the bathroom.

_Flashback_

_ Emma walked out of the stall. She was about to wash her hands when she heard the sound of gagging. Turning slowly she looked around. The only other stall that was occupied was closed. Walking over to it, she gently pushed on it and it opened to reveal Rachel, down on her knees with her finger down her throat. "Rachel? Did you just make yourself throw up?" She asked with concern. "No," was the girls hurried response. "You missed the toilet," the teacher pointed out. She saw that the girl was scared. "The girl that was throwing up before me left that. I apparently don't have a gag reflex." Emma smiled. "Later that'll turn out to be a gift. Let's go have a little chat in my office"…_

_ *end flashback*_

Emma shuttered at the memory of that day. She hadn't helped Rachel really. She was pulled from her thoughts by a flash of light in the window. The group was back and she sighed in relief. She rushed to the door and unlocked it. She threw it open and moved aside. The boys quickly burst into the house and Will started screaming orders. "Emma, run the plaza and get a sleeping bag," he said and she took off to fetch it after grabbing her purse, "Finn, get her on the couch. Puck, get her a pillow and as many blankets as you can carry. Kurt, get her some clothes. Make sure the material is thin but warm," Mr. Shuster instructed. The kids were scrambling at this point.

Finn placed Rachel down on the couch. Rachel tried to cling to him as his warmth left her. "No. Warm," she said. He looked at her and shook his head. "You'll be warm soon. I promise, okay?" He said. He felt so bad. He was practically denying her warmth, something everyone should have. Mr. Shuster then walked over to her. "Rachel, sweetie, I want you to try to touch your pinkie and thumb together for me," he instructed. Slowly, she raised her arm and her shaking fingers trembled as she attempted to do as she was instructed. She failed though. She managed to get them to bend and extend toward each other but they wouldn't touch. "Alright, she has stage one but she's starting to go into stage two. She shouldn't have to go to a hospital but if she doesn't get better, I'm taking her in," Will said mostly to himself. He then walked away to try to find her something warm to drink.

Kurt came into the room with clothes in his hands. Mercedes and Quinn were with him. Upon seeing her, Rachel began to cry. "No! Bad! Go! Mean!" The girl screamed. Mercedes stumbled backwards. "Rachel, Mercedes and Quinn are going to dress you. Do you want Mr. Shuster to do it again?" Kurt asked. Rachel shook her head. She was cold and she wanted to be kept warm. "Well then they're going to help you get dressed," he said and then began to take his jacket off her. Her shivering was intensified then and she no longer cared who dressed her as long as she was warm.

Quinn and Mercedes quickly walked over and Quinn gently took hold of Rachel's shoulders and forced her up gingerly. Rachel groaned as her abdominals resisted. Mercedes then slipped the shirt over her head. It was a simple long sleeve t-shirt. The girls struggled to get her arms through. Rachel's body was shaking and she was having difficulty controlling her limbs. Eventually though, after there was a large amount of fumbling, they got the shirt on. Her pants went on easier. Quinn just lifted her hips and Mercedes gently slid them up her legs. Once they were done Rachel curled herself into a tiny little ball. Quinn and Mercedes both looked at each other. They felt immense pity for the girl. Puck then rushed into the room, blankets piled in his arms and a pillow tucked under his armpit. He glared the girls and Kurt before turning his attention on Rachel.

His face softened as he looked at her. "Hey, Berry. How you doin?" He asked as he tried to push down the anger he felt for the others in the room. The girls and Kurt tortured her. Finn took the blankets and began to lay them across her body. "I good," the girl answered. Puck smiled. "You're getting better with your sentences. Good girl. Now let's see if we can't make you a little bit more comfortable," he gently took her little head in his hand and lifted it. He then fluffed her pillow and gently slid it under her head. He settled her back down and smiled. "Better?" He asked. "Much," she answered. She snuggled down into the pillow.

Ms. Pillsbury then walked in the room. She was holding several bags in her hands. "Will, I'm back! What do we need?" Mr. Shuster came in. "Well, we have nothing that's warm for her to drink. Let's just start by putting her into her sleeping bag." With that he went over to Rachel and uncovered her body. He quickly rapped her in a thin one as Ms. Pillsbury quickly tore open the sleeping bag. The two then eased her into it and settled her back down. She snuggled into the warmth. Ms. Pillsbury turned to Will and says, "I picked up some soup for her to eat. There are also tiny packets of hot chocolate for her." "Good. I don't think she can drink or eat right now but maybe once she's warmed up a little bit, she'd like some. She must be starving," Will said as he sat on the recliner and went to grab the T.V. remote. "We'll watch her throughout the night. I'll take the first watch. Go get some sleep," He said. Emma nodded. She then looked at the girl, who was still shivering in her sleeping bag, and let her eyes wander back to will. They would be in for a long night.

**Author's Note:**

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I tried to get it out faster but it didn't work in my favor. As always tell me what you think will happen next. Review. Hope you liked it.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

The night was hard. That was unavoidable. Rachel was up shivering, not allowed to sleep, in fear that she would slip away. So she was forced to spend the night in discomfort. Her temperature was checked regularly to see if she was getting warmer. Finally around four AM, the two adults deemed her temperature safe and she was allowed to sleep. She then woke around noon to the sound of quiet commotion in the kitchen. She was about to force herself up and off the couch, but stopped when she saw Noah peek his head in the room. He smiled when he saw her awake and disappeared for a moment before he reappeared. He sauntered into the room with a bowl of steaming soup in his hands.

He set the soup down, quickly when she moved to get up. "No, no. Stay down. You're not strong enough yet. Just rest for now, okay?" She pouted. "I don't want to," she said. She winced at the sound of her voice. It was so raspy, like she had tried to swallow nails but she was talking in full sentences. She squirmed uncomfortably when he ignored her protests for her current position. Instead, he gently lifted her upper body and took a seat behind her. He propped her up against him and moved for the soup. She was still wiggling around and he gasped when the soup sloshed dangerously close to the edge of the bowl. "Alright, Wiggles knock it off. This stuff is hot and it could easily burn us. Now open up," he said as he lifted the soup filled spoon out of the bowl. He extended it towards her and she opened her mouth. He fed her the soup and smiled at her. "Is it good?" He asked. She only nodded her head and led him feed her.

When the soup was gone he leaned over to place the bowl on the table. He then cuddled her close to him. He smiled at her when she licked a little bit of soup off her lip. She looked exhausted. Her body was like dead weight and she seemed like any movement would be enough to knock her out for about eight more hours. "You really scared me last night. Finn too. He might be seriously stupid but he cares about you, you know," Puck said. "I know. I was upset," she said. "I know, Wiggles. I know," he said as he held her close. He gave her a final squeeze before he stood up. "I'll be back in a while to check on you. Rest up and don't you dare get off that couch," he demanded as he laid her head back down on the pillow. He then left, leaving her there on her own again.

*Glee*

Her next visitor scared her. He shook her to her core. Around 1:30 pm, Kurt Hummel walked into the room alone carrying a glass of water. She watched him through half open eyes. Her energy was gone once again. She was tired. Her muscles ached and her throat felt dry. She followed him with her eyes. He set the glass on the able and turned to Rachel. He lifted her head gently and sat down. He then placed her head in his lap. He reached for the water and held it to her lips. He tilted it back so that the water slid down her throat. She drank it quietly in gulps. She chugged it down, greedily. The cool water felt good against her dry throat. He kept a hand at the back of her head so she wouldn't choke herself. He would pull the glass away from her every few swallows so she could take a breath.

When she finished the glass he set it back on the table. She squirmed at the position she was in. She didn't like it. She didn't like him. She didn't want to be by him. She wanted Puck. She wanted Finn. She would even take Mike or Matt; honestly she would take anybody but Kurt or the girls. She didn't want to be anywhere near them. He simply adjusted himself so that he was more comfortable and started to stroke her hair. She looked at him. She was so uncomfortable. Her head was in his lap… and he hated her.

As he ran his hand down the top of her head, he thought about what he had been through within the last 36 hours. He cleared his throat and said, "Rachel, I never really cared for you. You can be loud and obnoxious and I really want to shove a sock in your mouth. I hate your style. I hate that you get the solo every week in glee club. I didn't think anything could scare me more than you do," he began. Rachel already didn't like where this was going. "Last night, you ran away and I couldn't be more shocked or ecstatic. You finally gave in. Then, I was forced to go out and search for you." As he said his pieces, his hands continued to move through her hair, lightly massaging her scalp. "I didn't care about finding you. I wanted to gossip with the other girls… mostly about you." He took a deep breath here. "I was so wrong though. I didn't care… until I was the one who found you." He paused searching for the words. "You were quiet, motionless, and your skin was turning blue. You were everything your not. You wouldn't respond to us calling your name. I thought you were dead, but then I saw that you had a chance to survive. I couldn't be more excited. Here we are now." She was looking at him with half open eyes, which she was struggling to keep open as he massaged her head. It felt so good and relaxing that she couldn't help feel sleepy.

He chuckled. "Even now you're falling asleep. The point to this story is… I never want to see you like that again. You were just so still… I want to fix our relationship. From now on, I want you to come to me for anything and everything. I promise I'll never make you feel like that again. Especially, after all I've been through. If anyone knows the pain of bullying, it's me. I'll make your life better now though. I'll be your best friend," he said as he smiled down at her. "Sleep now. Your body needs to rest. Sleep well, darling." With that he gave her forehead a kiss and got up, gently repositioning her so that she could get some more sleep. He too, left her alone.

*Glee*

Finn visited her next. His face was a mask of concern as he walked in. He didn't move her like Noah and Kurt had. Instead he knelt down in front of her. He gave a smile and lifted a hand to rest on her shoulder. "Hey, Rach. How do you feel?" He asked. Her eyes again only opened about halfway. She moaned in response. "I'm tired. I'm hurt all over." It took him a moment to realize that she was just sore. Nothing serious… thankfully. "Well, I could leave you alone. You can take a nap," he said. "No. Tired of sleeping. Now, just tired." He nodded in understanding.

"Listen, Rachel, if you ever do this again, you might not get lucky. Just tell someone next time your being bullied. Don't handle it so immaturely," he said, not thinking before it left his mouth. That added salt to her wounds. He was going to scold her. Like a child. She was the victim. She was the one who should be sympathized. She should be fawned over. It would always be Quinn though. Quinn would always win over Finn. He smiled at her as if everything was fine. "Now do you want anything? I can get you something," he said. Rachel couldn't deny it though. She smiled. He was just looking out for her. She asked for water and when he left she sighed. He cared… only in a brotherly way.

**Author's Note:**

**I know. The ending is very rushed. I hope you enjoy it. Guess what happens next and let me know what you think. =)**


	11. Chapter 11

** Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

Rachel was startled to say the least. She never thought she would be in her position. Her feet were currently lying in Santana's lap as her head lay in Brittney's. She wasn't really positive about how she got into this position. All she knew was that they had somehow gotten her out of her sleeping bag and piled her blankets on the back of the couch. She wasn't comfortable. All that she wanted was to be with the people that she was comfortable with. She shuddered as she felt Santana's hands run up and down her calf. She didn't like it. She wanted Noah. She wanted Finn. Not two more of her tormentors.

"You have really soft hair," Brittney said as she stroked it. Rachel said nothing. She instead opted to cower lightly under the girls' touch. Santana lifted her leg high so that she could get out. "Come on Brit. Tina and Mercedes wanted a turn," she said. Brittney pouted but complied.

The girls left for a moment but she only had a moment of peace before Tina and Mercedes both came in. Rachel bit her lip. She didn't want to see them. She should have gotten along with them the best. Tina was goth and Mercedes was a diva. They should have all meshed together. They didn't though. Mercedes and Tina bonded and forced Rachel from their circle of friendship. She was pushed aside. Now the girls approached her.

Tina and Mercedes didn't know what to do. Rachel looked pathetic. She was bundled up in the blankets. She had a head resting on her pillow and she looked tired. Rachel was squirming around, uncomfortably. Tina and Mercedes didn't know how to approach her so they both took a seat on the floor on either side of her head. Rachel watched them wearily. They looked at each other and then at Rachel. Mercedes then cleared her throat, "hey Rachel. Do you need anything?" The girl asked.

Rachel thought for a moment. She was rather cold now that she didn't have her nice, warm sleeping bag. She looked at the other two girls who were watching her in anticipation. "A blanket would be nice…" she said. Both girls got up and pulled one of the blankets off the back of the couch. Gently, they draped it over her and she sighed in content. She muttered a thank you as her sleepy eyes began to close again. Tina then spoke, "Look, Rachel, we're really sorry. We were so mean to you." Rachel's eyes then opened. "We never gave you a chance. In our defense though, your bossy attitude is a turn off for most people," Mercedes added. Rachel was quiet for a moment. They didn't like quiet Rachel. She was unnatural. They wanted loud Rachel back.

Rachel finally spoke. It was a voice that they had never heard before. It was a quiet tone, full of hurt. "Out of all the people I met in New Directions, when I saw you two I thought we would get along instantly. I didn't know how wrong I was," she said. Tina and Mercedes bit their lips. Noah then walked into the room. When he saw the girls near Rachel he narrowed his eyes. "Leave her alone. You've put her through enough already," he said as he came to her defense. Tina and Mercedes stood. "We just want to apologize," Tina said. "Well, you don't deserve her forgiveness," he said as he came to stand next to Rachel. The two girls looked at Rachel once more and then they left. Noah nodded and looked at Rachel. He kneeled down next to her. "Did they upset you?" he asked. Rachel shook her head. "I'm going to forgive them eventually you know," she said to him in a small voice. "I know. I just don't like it," he said. He gave her forehead a kiss and then left the room to get her a glass of water.

*Glee*

An hour later, she got another visitor. Quinn walked into the room. Gently, she lifted Rachel's head and then set it in her lap once she was situated. In her hand she held a book. She gently patted Rachel's head before lifting her book to her eyes. The girl sat their. She simply kept a hand on her head and read the book. Rachel was actually pretty comfortable. She didn't mind the other girl's silence. There was nothing to say. Rachel was the short, annoying brunette. Quinn was the popular, pretty blonde. They were enemies. However, they had formed some sort of a bond. So they continued to sit that way. After about a half hour, Finn walked in. He stopped short. "Quinn? What are you doing in here?" He asked the girl. "Reading," was the only answer she gave. Finn walked closer to see Rachel curled up with her head in Quinn's lap. Her eyes were closing as she felt Quinn's hand run across her head repeatedly. It felt good. It felt soothing. Like a mother would do for a daughter. If only she had a mother. She would have to make due with this though as the soothing ness took effect on her and she felt herself grow tired.

Finn approached. "What're you reading?" He asked. "_A Walk to Remember,"_ the girl answered. "Isn't that book sad?" He asked confused as to why she would read it. "It's a beautiful book, Finn," she said aggravated. She wanted to read in piece. "Oh… well I just wanted to see if Rachel needed anything. I guess she's alright," he said and then they walked outside.

*Glee*

Quinn stayed for another half hour after he left. Her next visitor was Artie. He wheeled in and they chatted a bit. He mostly went on about Halo. He left her though. Mike came in next. He tried to make her laugh. He got a few giggles with his silly stories. He made her cry with his impersonation of Michael Jackson's pelvic thrust. Watching him attempt to do it was hysterical. Then he did Beyonce and she couldn't take it. Then Mr. Shuster said that if she laughed any harder, her lungs would explode so he two left.

Her most unexpected visitor came after Ms. Pillsbury fed her some soup. The woman had insisted that she eat all of it and now Rachel felt uncomfortably full. She was wiggling around uncomfortably. Matt Rutherford walked into the room. She looked at him with a look of disbelief. He came and sat down in the couch her upper body draped across his legs. He gently began to rub her belly and he spoke. "When I was a little baby, I got a lot of tummy aches. My mom would rub my tummy to make me feel better." On cue she gave a tiny burp. She was amazed. She really did feel better. After she muttered a quite excuse me, she looked up at him. "How did you know?" He smiled down at her. "I saw how she kept forcing it down your throat. You're extra small. I knew there was no way you could be comfortable with all that food. Now get some rest. You must be exhausted," he then left her to sleep. She fell into a relaxed slumber quickly, her belly being full and her mind at ease that she would always have someone looking after her whether it is Matt, Mike, Noah, Quinn, or Finn.

**Author's Note:**

**I'm sorry it took so long to get out. I hope you all enjoyed it. Glee re-airs in 3 days! I'm super excited. Let me know what you all thought about this and what you think will happen next. Please review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee**

Noah and Mr. Shuster were talking in the kitchen. "She isn't ready. She's still trying to get her energy back," Noah argued a bit upset that his teacher would suggest something like this. "She needs to do bit Puck. You can't expect her to get better if she doesn't," the teacher said in a calm voice. Noah shook his head and looked at the teacher. "If she hurts herself, what do we do?" The boy asked as he glanced into the room, looking at the small brunette that was trying to sleep on the couch. "Puck, you have to let this happen. She needs to get her strength back…" The boy was silent. He finally responded then. "Alright, you can let her. Just know I don't like it."

*Glee*

"Come on Rachel you can do it," Finn coaxed gently. There was a small group in the den. Rachel had a light blanket thrown over her shoulders and was sitting up on the couch. Noah, Finn, Ms. Pillsbury and Mr. Shuster were standing in front of her. As they stood, they watched the girl. Her legs were shaking as well as her arms. With a tremendous effort, she shakily rose from the sofa. Her knees shook as she struggled to support her own weight. She wasn't used to having to support herself.

Ms. Pillsbury clapped. "Good! Good! Now see if you can take a few steps," the woman encouraged. Rachel nodded and then took a few shaky steps forward. Noah smiled. She was doing it! She was walking. After close to two days of lying on a couch and having to be helped to the bathroom, she was using her muscles for the first time. She stumbled a bit and Noah and Finn both went to steady her She leaned on them for a moment. Taking a few gulps of air she then straightened and tried again. She smiled as her legs supported her and she managed to walk away from the couch and to the door that led to the kitchen. She skipped a little, figuring out her limitations. She reached the door to the kitchen and then squealed.

She wheeled around to face her 'supervisors'. She sprinted over to Noah and leaped at him. She wrapped her legs around him and through her arms around his neck. He was thrown off balance and staggered back a few steps before wrappings his arms around her. "Easy, Wiggles. Don't over exert yourself. You're still healing," he said as he set her down. Mr. Shuster was grinning ear to ear. "Good work Rachel. Why don't you go sit in the kitchen? We can have a group dinner. It'll be fun," he said, Rachel quickly nodded. She leaned on Noah, a bit tired from her mini spas attack, and let him escort her to the kitchen. Ms. Pillsbury smiled. "I'll go order some pizza," she said and walked off to find a phone.

*Glee*

The club was shocked, to say the least, when they saw Rachel sitting at the table in her pajamas. She waved happily and smiled. Kurt was the first to react. He said, "Nice, to see you being part of the group again. It's to quiet without you," he then took a seat across from her as Finn and Puck were both standing opposite her. The rest of the club filled in. Dinner was uneventful. There was a bunch of mindless chatter.

After dinner, Rachel realized how disgusting she felt. She hadn't showered in two days. When she asked to be excused, everyone was curious as to why. "I just want to go clean up," she said as she pushed stood up. Her knees wobbled a bit and she set her hand on Puck's shoulder to steady herself. He looked at her concerned. "You sure you're strong enough to stay standing that long, Wiggles?" He asked. What if she fell? She probably wouldn't be able to stand up and they would have to break down the door to save her… not that he would mind seeing her naked. He shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts. "You're being ridiculous, Noah. I'm perfectly capable of supporting myself." With that she walked away and disappeared down the hall way. A few minutes later they heard the water turn on. Santana broke the silence. "Girl's stubborn. I'll give her that."

*Glee*

Rachel was exhausted when she got out of the shower. It took a lot of energy for her to support herself. She managed though. She was now curled up in her bed. Not the couch. She had been too tired to walk back to her room after she got dressed in new pajamas. She had simply lain down on her bed and was now drifting into a light sleep. She heard the door open but kept her eyes closed; to tired to bother opening them. She heard a chuckle. "She tuckered herself out, didn't she?" She heard Noah's voice. "I feel bad about making her move…" the voice was feminine. Kurt's voice was then heard. "Just move her onto my bed. It's bound to be more comfortable." The next thing she knew, the firm cot was gone from underneath her. She squirmed and gave a tired groan. She heard another chuckle. "Easy, Wiggles. Shh. Go back to sleep," said Noah. He made several more shushing noises and she was placed on something that was extremely soft. She heard shuffling feet and the next thing she knew, she was falling asleep.

*Glee*

Rachel woke up and was disoriented. She looked around and pushed herself up so her upper body was being supported by her forearm. She saw the rest of the girls sleeping and Kurt was on her cot. She rubbed her eyes and gently curled into a ball. She was sleepy but to tired to sleep. She then groaned and forced herself up and onto her feet. She swayed for a moment but then softly padded out of the room and to the couch. Then it dawned on her. Today was their last day here. Tomorrow they would be on a flight on their way back home. She bit her lip and made up her mind. She would make this day unforgettable. Only this time, for a good reason.

**Author's Note:**

** Hey, I'm still alive. My show choir just started competing so I don't have a lot of time to write. I hope you liked it. This was a filler but still let me know what you think will happen next. I'm also contemplating a one-shot for Glee. The basic idea is below. Let me know if you'd be interested in reading it. Please review!**

**Idea: Rachel tries to apologize to Kurt for kissing Blaine.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

Rachel squealed with delight as her snowball hit Matt right in the chest. She had been allowed out for an hour; no more no less. She was being limited and so she decided to make the most of it. There wasn't enough time to go sledding so they had decided on a good old fashion snowball fight. Of course… she always did look out for herself. She put herself on Noah's team which also consisted of Finn, Quinn, and Santana. The other team consisted of Britney, Mike, Kurt, Mercedes, and Matt. Tina and Artie opted to stay inside since the wheel chair would prohibit him from participating with the snow on the ground and Tina didn't want him to be lonely.

Matt glared at her playfully and made a move to tackle her. She ran away though and quickly ducked behind a tree. Looking up she saw a large pile of snow on a branch and she grinned wickedly. She jumped up and got the lowest branch. She shimmied up onto it and then proceeded to climb up above the snow covered branch. She hid waiting for her victim to come under her trap. As she saw the shaved head of Noah, she smirked and gently lowered her legs to right above the branch; using her upper body to keep herself from falling. She waited for him to stoop down to scoop up some snow. She then quickly dropped onto the branch and the snow fell onto Puck. He let out a scream as the cold snow hit the back of his unprotected neck. He looked up to see Rachel giggling madly. "Oh you little devil… Get down hear!" He yelled up to her.

Rachel swung her leg over the branch and dangled for a minute; trying to find her footing. She slipped and scrambled to get a hold of something but her fingers lost their grip. She began to tumble to the snow covered ground. She closed her eyes, waiting to feel the pain of hitting the ground. Instead, she let out a grunt as her back and legs were cradled in a strong hold. She looked up to see Puck looking at her with amusement clear in his face. "Wasn't what I meant but okay. This works to." He watched as she squirmed to try to get out of his hold. "Not so tough are you now." He carried her around for a while.

She began to beat at his chest. "Let me down you Neanderthal." "Nope, this is what you get when you mess with Puckzilla." She sighed and let him carry her around. "Yo, Finn. Look what I got. Little devil is a double crosser. What's the punishment?" He called to the taller boy. Finn grinned in response. He stalked over to her menacingly. He extended his hand and wiggled his fingers. She caught on and tried to wiggle out of Noah's grasp. "Save me! Please! Mercy!" She cried as she tried to wiggle away from him. Finn reached her and instantly began to tickle her. She squealed with joy as his fingers assaulted her sides. She squirmed as her sides began to hurt. "Stop please!" Eventually, he stopped and Rachel's chest heaved as she tried to refill her lungs with air. She glared at the two boys who were smiling down at her. "You two are infuriating!" She wiggled out of Noah's arms and stomped away. "You brought it on yourself honey!" Noah called after her. She huffed and stalked over to Mike.

Finn looked at Noah. The boy was watching her with a look of satisfaction. "Dude, do you like her?" Finn asked. Noah gave him a look that suggested he had gone crazy. "Of course I like her. She's my friend," Noah said as he turned to look at him. "No, you have feelings for her. Dude, I swear if you hurt her-" Finn was cut off by Noah. "Not cool dude! Do you know how many times you've hurt her? Dude, you toy with her!" Puck screamed. "I do not," Finn tried to argue. "That's bull and we both know it. You kiss her but then leave her for Quinn. You messed with her head so she would come back to Glee. All you do is mess with her," Noah said. He drew himself up to his full height. He was still shorter than Finn but he had an impressive 5'11"; taller than most boys at McKinley. Finn glared but his face softened when he realized how right Puck was. He then set his jaw and said, "What about you? You started the slushie facials. You always slushie her and didn't stop until you knew what it felt like," Finn snarled. Puck glared and said, "I never led her on though." With that he walked away.

Finn realized he was right. He played Rachel like a harp, plucking her heartstrings when he needed her and ignoring her when he didn't. He sighed and then jogged to catch up to Puck. Once he reached him, he said, "Just please be careful with her. I'm not sure she can take much more rejection." Puck nodded. "I know dude. Believe me, I know."

*Glee*

Rachel sat on the couch, sandwiched between Noah and Kurt. Kurt had his leg crossed and was leaning his head against hers. Noah had an arm draped over her shoulder. It was these kind of moments that he realized just how touchy-feel he had gotten with her. She watched as Mike and Matt dance battled. She giggled as they both tried to impersonate Michael Jackson… Mike succeeded somewhat. Puck got up and stretched. "I'm going to go and try to see if I can find any soda. If I find them does anyone else want one?" The boys wanted them but Kurt and Rachel both opted for water. Rachel gingerly got to her feet and followed him. As she walked out of the room, Santana and Britney peeked around the corner. They quickly set off to accomplish their task.

*Glee*

Noah opened the refrigerator door. Ms. Pillsbury had managed to stock it with several kinds of soda and water bottles. He grabbed three sodas and two water bottles. He struggled to keep from dropping any of them and sighed in relief when Rachel came into the room and said, "Need a hand?" He handed her the water bottles. "Noah?" She asked. He had placed the sodas on the table and turned to the cupboard. "Do you think Ms. Pillsbury bought… jackpot!" he exclaimed happily as he brought out a bag of Doritos. He turned to her. "What do you need, Rach?" he asked. She blushed a bit at the nickname. "… Why are you being so nice to me lately? You never were before," she said a bit sheepishly. He walked up to her. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Berry, you put up with so much shit. You're slushied. You're name called. You're verbally abused by people who are supposed to be your friends. Yet you still help them when they need it. The worst part is…" he slipped his index finger under her chin to tilt it up to make her look him in the eyes, "you don't deserve any of it. You may be abrasive. You may be loud. You may be self centered but you're kind to everyone. You let them tear you down constantly. I always say how I'm such a badass but look at you. You're a badass to in your own way. You put up with what others can't and that's unfair criticism."

By the end of his little speech, she was blushing. She tried to glance down but he wouldn't let her. "Don't be embarrassed by it. It's badass." He said. She smiled and mouthed thank you. He drew her to him and hugged her. She spoke up, "that still doesn't answer my question though. "Why have you been nice to me?" "I already told you. You don't deserve it. Plus, you're really awesome and cool to be around," he said as she snuggled into his chest. "Thank you, Noah." He smiled and held her close to his chest.

When they separated, he grabbed the pops and the bag of chips. As the two walked under the archway, they heard someone yell "mistletoe!" They both looked up and saw that above them was indeed mistletoe. They looked at each other and her cheeks blushed a bright red. He smiled and said, "Have to follow tradition." He then leaned down and gingerly pressed his lips to hers and she gently pressed back. It was short and sweet… and ended quickly. He grinned and the two both walked back to the couch. They distributed the drinks quickly. They sat down on the couch. Noah draped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her up against him so her head was resting on his shoulder. He snuggled her up close and she drew her knees up. Yup, she could get used to this.

Sadly, the time had to come to an end.

Mr. Shuster made the group pack their bags. It was done slowly as none of them wanted to leave though. They finished the task eventually though and went to the airport. Noah had traded around seats so that he could sit next to her. As he settled into his seat, he smiled at her before he popped a piece of gum in his mouth. Reaching over, he intertwined their hands. She looked at them and he winked at her. "Get used to it, baby. I'm all for PDA. I want people to know who my girlfriend is and if you get worried with a little bit of hand holding, we're going to have a bit of trouble." She blushed crimson at his words. She wasn't used to things being so direct. Still, she liked it.

Things may have started off terribly for her. She felt like an outsider in her club. Now that had changed. She felt loved by the glee clubbers. Now that they knew what it would feel like to lose her, they never wanted to experience it again. They know knew that they had to cherish her for her faults and love her in spite of them. As the plane took off, Rachel thought about how things were different. They were a family now and nothing could ruin that.

**Disclaimer:**

**Well, that's the end. I loved this story. I have a few more ideas for other stories so please keep an eye out for them. I would love for you all to do me a favor: let me know what you thought of this story. I want to know what you liked, disliked and what your favorite part was. Thanks so much for reading.**


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